Electrical gas-igniting device



Jan. 31, 1928. 1,657,638

EL ROY L. PAYNE VELE CTRICAL GAS IGNITING DEVICE Filed April 6. 1925'INVENTOR. 7 ficy L. Pay/74 aw 7 1%;

ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 31, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EL BOY I. PAYNE, OE'LOS ANGEI'ES, CAiLIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO PAYNE FURNACEAND SUPPLY COMPANY, 01 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OI CALI-FOBNIA.

Application filed April 8, 1925. Serial No. 21,609.

This invention relates to electrical ignition means for gas burnerswhereby the operation of opening the gas valve causes an electric sparkto be produced adjacent the point at which the gas issues from theburner so as to ignite the same. An important object of the invention isto provide means whereby any and all operation of the gas valve fromclosed position toward open position will cause an electric spark to beproduced adjacent the burner during the entire time the valve is beingoperated so as to ensure ignition of the gas. A particular object. ofthe invention is to provide means whereby a partial opening of the valvewill produce a spark as above described, in other words to provide adevice whereby the production of the electric spark is not dependentupon complete opening of the valve. In

90 certain types of electrical gas ignition devices the production of anelectric spark does not take place until the completion of the openingof the valve and with such devices it is possible to partially open thevalve and permit escape of gas from the burner without operation of theigniting means so that the gas is allowed to escape without beingburned, thus resulting in danger of explosion and injurious efiects dueto possible to inhalation of the gas. This disadvantage is overcomeaccording to my invention by providing means whereby any movement of thevalve toward open position produces an electricspark throughout the timeof such movement and ensures consequent ignition of the gas.

The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of my invention andreferring thereto:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation partly in section of anelectrical gas i iting device according to m invention, s o ing theelectrical circuit or use with alternating current. a

5 Fig. 2 is a plan view of the circuit closing means.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the circuit closing means and theconnection between said means and the gas valve.

Fi 4 is a partial diagram of the electrica circuit for use with directcurrent.

Referring to the drawings the gas burner indicated at 1, which may be ofany suitable shape or design, is shown as provided with loosely within afuel inlet or supply means 2 having a valve 3 therein adapted to controlthe assa ge of gas through said supply means. Slaid valve maybe of anysuitable type but is preferably of such construction that a relativelysmall turning movement is re uired to open the same, and for use on smalgas heaters or furnaces may advantageously comprise a plug valve whichis adapted to move from closed to open position in a quarter of arevolution. For the operation of said valve I prefer to provide anoperating member or collar 5 which is preferably of insulating materialsuch as hard rubber, the stem 4. of said valve fitting within a recessin said operating member and being secured thereto 1n any suitablemanner for example by means of screws 6. An operating rod 7 fits recess8 in the operating member 5 and valve stem 4 so as to be freelyrotatable within said recess. Said operatmg rod may be held within saidrecess by engagement of screw 6' with an annular groove 9 near the endof said rod. Rod 7 may he provided with a projecting arm 10 adapted uponrotation of said rod in one dlrectionor the other to engagepins 11 or 12respectively and thereby rotate the operatmg member 5 and move the valvetoward open or closed position. For the purpose of establishingelectrical connection during openmg movement of the valve as hereinafterdescribed I prefer to provide a. contact member 13 mounted at the sideof said arm 10 and adapted to engage a contact member such as pin 11 inthe movement ofvsaid arm in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig.2 so as to effect opening of the valve, while said arm may be adapted todirectly engage pin 12 during movement thereof in the reverse directionto effect closin of the valve. Contact member 13 is norma ly held out ofcontact with pin 11 by engagement of leaf spring 35 with adjustable stopmeans such as screw 40 mounted on pin 36. Any suitable means may beprovided for manual operation of rod 7 for example a handle 'l may beprovided at the upper end of said r0 A The ignition means proper comrises a spark gap 15 formed for example tween two metallic points 16.and 17 spaced a suitable distance a art, point 17 being for ex ampleconnecte directly to a metallic tube ,furnace or other device with whichthe burneris used. The other spark point 16 is mounted, for example. inan insulating plug 20 of porcelain or similar material at the end oftube 18. The electrical circuit as shown in Fig. 1 includes atransformer 22 whose primary winding 23 is connected to a suitablesource of alternating electric current, the wires leading to said sourceof current being indicated at 24. The ratio between the primary winding23 and the secondary winding 25 may be such as to give any desiredsecondary voltage for example four to ten volts. A spark coil orinduction coil -of any suitable, type is indicated diagrammatically at26 and is shown as comprising a low tension or primary coil 27, and ahigh tension or secondary coil 28. An iron wire core 31 is alsopreferably provided within said coils. The electrical connectionsinclude wire 29 leading from the secondary 'winding of the transformerto the primary winding of the spark coil, wire 30 leading from thesecondary winding of the transformer to a connection 32 on in 11 and aheavier high tension wire 33 eading from the high tension coil 28 to thespark point 16. The other ends of both the low tension and high tensioncoils 27 and 28 are grounded as at 37, the furnace casin and the gassupply pipe being also groun ed as indicated at 38 and 39 respectively.

The operation of the above described apparatus 1s as follows:

Assuming that with the parts inthe position shown, valve 3 is in closedposition, the handle 14 may be manually operated so as to turn operatingrod 7 and arm 10 in the direction indicated. by the arrow in Fig. 2 andthus turn valve 3 toward open position. Inasmuch as rod 7 is itself freeto turn within the recess in valve stem 4 and operating member 5 it willfirst turn without operation of theivalve and against the resistance ofspring 35 until the contact member 13 engages pin 11, whereupon thefurther turning movement of operating rod 7 will cause the valve 3 tomove toward open osition. At the same time however the ow tensionelectrical circuit is completed as follows: From secondary winding 25 ofthe transformer through wire 30 to pin 11, hence through contact member13 and operating rod 7 to the valve stem 4 which is in electricalconnection with the grounded gas supply pipe, thence through the groundfrom 39 to 37 and through the low tension winding 27 of the spark coiland wire 29 back to the transformer. Since the current in this circuitis alternating, an intermittent high tension current will be induced inwinding 28 of the spark coil and such current will pass through wire 33to sparkpoint 16 and cause an intermittent spark to e set up acrossspark gap 15. the circuit being completed through spark point 17, tube18, and the grounded casing 19. If de sired in order to increase thesecondary voltage and give a more intense spark, the spark coil 26 maybe provided with an interrupter similar to that described below for usewith direct current. It will thus be seen that a practically continuousspark is produced adjacent burner 1 upon any and all motion of the valve3 toward open position, and such spark will be maintained so long assuch motion continues. .As soon as the handle 14 is released howeverspring 35 will operate to throw contact member 13 out of engagement withpin 11 so that the circuit is broken at that point and the s ark ceases.It will be observed that in the a ove operation it is not necessary thatthe valve 3 be moved to wide open position in order to cause the sparkto be produced at the igniting means. but any motion of the valve inthis direction is accompanied by production of a spark at the ignitingmeans, so that even a partial opening of said valve to a sufficientextent to permit passage of gas therethrough will cause such gas to beignited and thus prevent escape of unburned gas. As shown in Fig. 4 Imay employ direct current instead of alternating current in which casewires 29 and 30 may for example be connected to a dry cell or battery41, and the spark coil 26 may be of a type adapted for use with directcurrent. For example said coil may comprise in addition to primarywinding 27 and-secondary windin 28, a pair of make-and-break contact memrs 42 and 43 and a condenser 44 connected across the break between saidmembers. Contact member 42 is rovided with armature means 45 ada te tobe attracted by core 31 upon comp etion of the low tension circuit,thereupon breaking contact between members 42 and 43. The resultingsudden breaking of the low tension circuit induces a high tensioncurrent in the high tension circuit, as above described, and thusproduces an intermittent but rapidly repeated spark at the ignitingmeans. e remainder of the apparatus and manner of operation issubstantially the same in this case as when using alternating currentand the advantages of my invention are realized equally well with theuse of either form of electric current.

What I claim is 1. In an electrical gas igniting device, in combinationwith a valve, an operatin member connected to said valve, manualyoperated means adapted to engage said operating member to eflectoperation of said valve, means for producing an electric spark, anelectrical circuit adapted to control said 1.0mm N spark-producingmeans, normally open contact means in contact member secnrul to saidoperatmg member and movable therewith and also in cluding a contactmember mounted on said manually operated means and movable there with,said manually 0 rated means being adapted upon any an all operations'ina direction to open said valve to also bring said contact members intotwith one another during the entire time of such operation. a

2. An apparatus as set forth in 1'- and comprising in addition springmeans adapted be normally hold said contact members out of engagement;

3. An electrical gas igniting'devicc comprisin in combination with a gasburner provi ed to said valve and provided with a contact member securedthereto, manually operated means provided with a second contact memberadapted to engage said first-named contact member upon movement of saidmanually c said circuit and comprismg a v to direction to operate saidwith fuel supply meanshaving a. valve therein,' an operating membersecured ated means in onedirection so as members and also enable-furthermovement of said manually operated means in the same valve toward openrmally tending position, spring means no old said contact members out ofcontact,

means for reducing an electric spark adjacent said urner, and anelectrical circuit adapted to control said spark-producing means and 4:.An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 and compris' operating mem ada tedto be engaged by said manually opera means independently of said contactmembers upon movement of said manually operated means in the reversedirection so as to enable such movement to operate said valve towardclosed position while leaving said contact members out of contact. v

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 21st day ofMarch,

. BOY'L. PAYNE.

lish contact between said contact including said contact members.

in addition means on said

